1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cigarette wrapper paper, and more particularly, to a cigarette wrapper paper that permits suppressing the scattering of the ash formed by the combustion of the cigarette wrapper paper.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cigarette is provided by wrapping a tobacco filler material, such as cut tobacco, by a cigarette wrapper paper. The cigarette wrapper paper is formed of pulps of, for example, wood or flax, and contains a loading material such as calcium carbonate to increase the opaqueness and whiteness of the cigarette wrapper paper and to increase the combustion capability of the cigarette wrapper paper, and a combustion assistant to control the combustion capability of the cigarette wrapper paper. The cigarette wrapper paper thus prepared regulates the combustion characteristics of the cigarette. In addition, the cigarette wrapper paper controls the properties of the ash, particularly the scattering properties of the ash, of the cigarette formed by the combustion.
The ash of the cigarette, if separated easily from the cigarette so as to be scattered, contaminates the surroundings. Some improvements of the cigarette wrapper paper have been proposed for suppressing the scattering of the ash of the cigarette. For example, it is proposed in Jpn. Pat. KOKAI Publication No. 11-36193 that calcium carbonate particles having a specified particle size are added to the cigarette wrapper paper. Also, it is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,551 that calcium carbonate particles having a specified particle size are added in an increased amount to a cigarette wrapper paper.
However, calcium carbonate, though required for the combustion of the cigarette wrapper paper, has a detrimental effect on the taste and flavor of the cigarette if the addition amount thereof is excessively large. In addition, the combustion rate of the cigarette wrapper paper is promoted and the mechanical strength of the cigarette wrapper paper is lowered so as to bring about an inconvenience in the making of the cigarette if calcium carbonate is added in an excessively large amount.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a cigarette wrapper paper that permits suppressing the scattering of the ash of the cigarette without increasing the amount of loading material promoting the combustion such as calcium carbonate and the amount of the combustion assistant.
As a result of extensive research conducted in an attempt to overcome the above-noted problems, the present inventors have found that, if the cigarette wrapper paper is formed of a flax pulp and if the bast fiber content of the flax pulp is increased, it is possible to suppress significantly the scattering of the ash of the cigarette without increasing the amount of loading material having combustion promoting property, such as calcium carbonate, and without increasing the amount of the combustion assistant. The present invention is based on these findings.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a cigarette wrapper paper capable of suppressing the scattering of the ash, the cigarette wrapper paper being formed of a pulp containing at least 60% by weight of fibrous component.
In the present invention, it is preferred that the pulp be formed of a flax pulp and the fibrous component is bast fiber of the flax pulp.
A cigarette wrapper paper according to the present invention may have a basis weight of 20 to 70 g/m2.
Further, a cigarette wrapper paper according to the present invention may further contain a loading material which exhibits combustion promotion, or a combustion assistant.